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R254 JPM

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Aug 2027
Tests28 (22 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate78.6%

Mileage

64,225 mi
Last recorded64,225 miles
Recorded on3 Aug 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR254 JPM
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

22 pass 6 fail
Pass 3 Aug 2026 64,225 miles
Pass 27 Feb 2026 63,615 miles

Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play Nearside and Offside (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated Nearside and Offside (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 11 Mar 2025 62,361 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play Both sides rearmost (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Fail 7 Mar 2025 62,361 miles

Registration plate lamp missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play Both sides rearmost (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 2 Feb 2024 61,435 miles

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated Nearside and Offside (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 3 Feb 2023 60,406 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2022 56,984 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2021 55,007 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 27 Jan 2021 55,007 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low unable to adjust (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Feb 2020 54,121 miles

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 11 Feb 2019 52,376 miles

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated both sides cracking (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 24 Jan 2018 49,764 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2018 49,761 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 20 Jan 2017 45,740 miles
Pass 29 Jan 2016 40,655 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2015 35,570 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2015 35,526 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 10 Feb 2014 30,132 miles
Fail 10 Feb 2014 30,132 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 11 Feb 2013 29,578 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2012 28,878 miles
Pass 14 Feb 2011 28,428 miles

air bag lamp on

Pass 15 Feb 2010 27,880 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2009 27,285 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 5 Feb 2008 26,440 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2007 25,571 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2007 25,571 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Pass 14 Feb 2006 24,506 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 523?

Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.

69.9%
Pass Rate
5,849
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
20,979
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,201
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,085
parking brake recording little or no effort 9,427
Brake pipe excessively corroded 9,143
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,285
Full BMW 523 reliability report

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R254 JPM is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.6%.

Across all 1998 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 117,395 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R254 JPM, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 523 typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 523 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R254 JPM?

You can check the full history of R254 JPM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R254 JPM registered?

R254 JPM is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 20 March 1998.

Is R254 JPM safe to buy?

The MOT history for R254 JPM shows 28 tests with a 78.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R254 JPM have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on R254 JPM. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.